Autoblog

Pontiac's G8 ST will likely not be used much for hauling joists and sonotubes, and General Motors took note of that before preparing one for SEMA. Instead, the concept has been dolled up with goodies that may make it to the GM Accessories catalog once the G8 ST goes on sale in late 2009. The most visible enhancements are on the outside. The paint is called Liquid Hot, and custom 20-inch wheels handsomely stuff the fenders. Making the car look more menacing is a reduced ride height, too. Inside, interior tweaks dress up the seats, the steering wheel and the shift knob with red inserts, and GM Accessories is contemplating making the custom interior trim kit and hard tonneau cover on the SEMA car available for purchase. With its vestigial bed and big V8, we predict the G8 ST will be hauling mostly ass.

[Source: GM Inside News]

Pontiac hopes to clear things up with a post on Pontiac blog regarding the future of its current products, namely the G8 and Solstice. It was just the other day that rumors of the brand's two rear-wheel drive vehicles possible being canceled hit the interwebs, and we dutifully reported on the story as we always do. According to Pontiac, though, those rumors are nothing more than speculation and should not be taken as gospel unless you hear it from the horse's (or Mr. Lutz's) mouth, which we have not. Still, the rumor in question indicates that the G8 will live on at least another five years, assuming it continues to sell that long, but would not be replaced after that. This could still be the case. Likewise, the Solstice has not been canceled, but it's replacement in GM's lineup still seems unlikely given the low volume of sales the vehicle attracts. In short, nobody can predict the future, but sometimes the handwriting on the wall isn't that tough to read.


[Source: Pontiac Underground]

Click above for hi-res gallery of the 2010 Pontiac G8 ST

We often go poking around General Motors' media resources, so imagine our surprise when we were searching for something totally unrelated and found fresh images of Pontiac's iteration of the Holden Ute. Still warm like just-baked cookies, the images show off a great looking dark-hued modern-day El camino. And for what do we deserve a new batch of G8 ute pics? They accompany word from on high that the official name for this trucklet has been decided. Meet the Pontiac G8 ST.

You may remember that GM solicited submissions, or rather suggestions, for what the G8 ST should be named. But after months of waiting and however many submissions, the best they could do was G8 ST? That's the name they started with! Now we feel all cheap and used, like GM knew what they were going to call this thing all along. Whatever, it will be holding court as the king of awesome in your local Pontiac dealer's showroom in late 2009 as a 2010 model. The 74-inch cargo bed and 3,500 lb towing capacity will allow you to haul more than just ass, though the V8 will surely facilitate that nicely. Pontiac's official press release can be found after the jump, and those new high-res images are in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2010 Pontiac G8 ST

[Source: GM]

Click on the image above for our high-res live gallery of the 2010 Pontiac G8 ST

Even the most die-hard enthusiast, dreaming about the 361-hp 6.0-liter V8 under the hood of the upcoming Pontiac G8 Sport Truck, must be having second thoughts about the cost of feeding that thirsty powerplant. With fuel prices rising significantly in just the last few months, the folks at Pontiac are rumored to be considering a six-cylinder option for the G8 ST. The engine, if it finds its way under the hood, would be the same 256-hp 3.6-liter V6 found in the entry-level Pontiac G8 sedan. Not due until the 2010 model year, the V6-powered G8 ST would share the sedan's EPA fuel economy ratings of 17/25, making the sport truck a more feasible for buyers that want to jettison their daily-driven pickups for something with better fuel economy and a bit of utility.

[Source: G8Nation]

Click on image above for more spy shots at G8Nation.

Two 2010 Pontiac G8 Sport Trucks were recently spied in Australia loaded on the back of a transporter. Although seemingly dipped in camouflage decals, the profile of this not-going-to-be-named-El-Camino is easily distinguishable, even without a clear shot of the obvious Pontiac grill. Previewed at the 2008 New York Auto Show, the G8-based Sport Truck will be powered by a 6.0-liter V-8 rated at 361 horsepower. It should scoot to 60 mph in just over five seconds. Those of us in North America can expect this cargo-bedded Aussie import to arrive on our shores in late 2009.

[Source: G8Nation]

Click to view the Pontiac G8 Sport Truck in high resolution

10,000. That's not a sticker price and it's not a production number. It's the number of submissions General Motors received for naming the Pontiac G8 Sport Truck. The contest opened up just a month ago, following Pontiac's unveiling of the concept car-ute at the New York Auto Show.

Granted, many of the names will be duplicates. And many of the names will be completely unusable, whether they're owned by other companies or just plain inappropriate. It'll take Pontiac a good long while to sift through them all, and while the carmaker won't reveal what names were submitted or which of them are being considered, a spokesman for the GM division did confirm El Camino was one of them, although it remains to be seen if GM can or will use a defunct Chevy name on a Pontiac vehicle. Meanwhile, although the public voice will be taken into consideration, Pontiac is safeguarding itself against an Alfa MiTo-type backtracking by noting that, in the end, the company's marketing gurus will have the last say.

[Source: KickingTires]

For those of you interested in picking up one of the new Pontiac G8 ST utes when they come to the US next year there's good news. In a recent round of ute/pickup crash testing in Australia, the Holden Commodore Ute beat all comers to score five stars. No competitor matched the lofty score. The Ford Ranger-based Mazda BT50 got three stars while the Indian Mahindra pickup only managed two. The Mahindra currently doesn't have airbags, which hurt its scores. Look for that to change before Mahindra launches its trucks and SUVs in the US a couple of years from now. For the time being, however, if you plan on driving into any barriers, you'll want to go for the El Camino wannabe.

UPDATE: Enough already! Yes my NyQuil hazed brain still isn't working quite right as I try to recover from this flu I've been battling all week. I did indeed mis-read the story. The Holden/Pontiac Ute only got 4 stars. On to other topics of discussion.



[Source: Drive.com.au]

Click above for a high-res live gallery of the 2010 Pontiac Sport Truck

Again with musical accompaniment from the Young Lords, Maximum Bob Lutz heralded the return of the El Camino Pontiac G8 Sport Truck to the U.S. market for the first time in over two decades. Joining Lutz to make the sales case for how wonderful the new G8 ST was Fifty Cent who the company claims is a loyal Pontiac owner. We've already heard all the specs on the new Ute, so we won't bore you with them again here. Click to visit our previous post with all the deets. The platform is a longer wheelbase version of the one under the G8 sedan, and the suspension remains all-independent, although the rear end has been beefed up to provide some load carrying and towing capacity. This thing is no replacement for a Silverado in terms of capability, but for those that need to grab some bags of mulch from your local big box store or tow a pair of jet skis to the lake, the ST provides a much more car like ride and performance pretty close to the G8 GT sedan. The Sport Truck has the same 361-hp 6.0L V8 as the G8 sedan, along with the six-speed autobox through which 385 lb-ft of torque flow to the rear end. Sometime between now and late next year GM will announce what the real name of the ST, is but you can make your voice heard (whether anyone is actually listening is another story) at www.pontiac.com/namethiscar.

[Source: Pontiac]